Tag: Star Trek PADD »

When I was a kid, all I ever wanted to grow up to be was a member of the Starship Enterprise. Pity that of course it wasn't real and instead part of the iconic TV show and subsequent franchise: Star Trek. I might never get to go up into space or meet any aliens but there is a way for me to have my very own LCARS (an acronym for Library Computer Access/Retrieval System) interface, the one that's so familiar to Star Trek fans having been used in Starfleet and the United Federation of Planets in The Next Generation and subsequent series.

The Star Trek PADD (Personal Access Display Device) offers up a huge interactive database of all things Star Trek. The app is linked to the official StarTrek.com database offering information on all manners of aliens, ships, places, technologies and the ever important episode guide. There are even the familiar computer sound effects and voices that are so memorable from the show.

Users can browse or search to their heart's delight as well as jump to related information through cross-links that are scattered around each entry. There's also the ability to read the latest news from the Star Trek Facebook page as well as the official Twitter feed.

Most thrilling of all for fans are the two diagnostic modes that provide an overview schematic of the U.S.S Enterprise NCC-1701-D.

The database isn't entirely complete but CBS Mobile and ArcTouch promise that there will be updates to add more information, ensuring that fans will always have something new to check out.

Star Trek PADD could have just been a regular database app covering such a memorable show but adding the fan service of the LCARS interface makes it all the more special.